Greek word · G3156

Ματθαῖος

matthaios

Matthew

A Greek form of a Semitic name, probably shortened from Mattityahu / Mattai ('gift of YHWH'). Mattathias, the name of the Maccabean patriarch, is related.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Μαθθαῖος (Rec. Ματθ-, see WH, App., 159; Bl., § 3, 11; on the Semitic form, see Dalman, Words, 51; Gr., 142), -ου, ὁ,

Matthew: Mt title., Matthew 9:9 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13 (cf. Λευεί).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 9:9

Range of meaning

A Greek form of a Semitic name, probably shortened from Mattityahu / Mattai ('gift of YHWH'). Mattathias, the name of the Maccabean patriarch, is related.

Against the English

All versions say 'Matthew'. The question is not how to translate the name but who he was: Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27 tell the same story about 'Levi (son of Alphaeus)'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Matthew appears in every list of the Twelve (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Only this Gospel's list calls him 'Matthew the tax collector' (10:3). From the early 2nd century (Papias, reported by Eusebius) church tradition linked this Gospel with Matthew.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 9:9 Μαθθαῖον Matthew

    As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

    Here: A Hebrew/Aramaic name, probably short for Mattityahu, 'gift of YHWH'. Mark and Luke call the man in this scene 'Levi'.

  2. Matthew 10:3 Μαθθαῖος Matthew

    Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

    Here: From Hebrew/Aramaic Mattai, a short form of Mattityahu, "gift of YHWH." This is the man called from the toll booth in 9:9. Mark and Luke call him Levi in the parallel accounts.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 3:18 Μαθθαῖον Matthew

    Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,

    Here: A short form of the Hebrew Mattityahu, 'gift of the LORD'. It recalls Mattathias, father of the Maccabees. Mark's list does not call him the tax collector. That identification comes from Matthew 9:9 and 10:3, which correspond to Mark's 'Levi son of Alphaeus' (2:14).

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 6:15 Μαθθαῖον Matthew

    Matthew and Thomas; James son of Alphaeus and Simon called the Zealot;

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 1:13 Μαθθαῖος, Matthew,

    When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

    Here: From Hebrew Mattityahu, 'gift of the LORD'. He was the former tax collector (Matt 9:9; 10:3), which made him a strange companion for a man called 'the Zealot'.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.